A xanthan gum is soluble in cold water, and a solution obtained shows a high pseudo-plastic viscosity. This solution is considered to form a weak, gel-like network, so that the solution is very excellent in dispersion or emulsification stability of an insoluble solid content or a fat or oil at a relatively low viscosity. In addition, the solution is excellent in heat resistance, acid resistance and freezing resistance. Since various resistances are high, the xanthan gum has been used in various fields such as foods, cosmetics and chemicals.
In order to effectively use a xanthan gum, it is necessary that the xanthan gum is completely hydrated at first, and the viscosity emerges for the first time upon the complete hydration. When a general consumer or the like uses a xanthan gum in a food or the like, the xanthan gum is likely to be in a state of a so-called “lumpy mass,” wherein only a surface of the xanthan gum is dissolved, while its internal remains in a powder state. A xanthan gum in a lumpy mass is incomplete in hydration, so that the xanthan gum is likely to be in a state that cannot exhibit its function.
When the xanthan gum is hydrated, the viscosity-emerging rate has a tendency of being fast as the particle size of the xanthan gum is finer, and being slow as the particle size is larger. In addition, the xanthan gum having a finer particle size has a larger surface area, thereby giving a property of more easily being formed into a lumpy mass when dispersed in water. Therefore, in order to completely hydrate the xanthan gum, an equipment or the like for dispersing or dissolving would be necessitated. As described above, ensuring the dispersion or dissolution of the xanthan gum would be attended with difficulties.
Usually, as a technique of dispersing or dissolving a xanthan gum in water, there has been known a technique comprising dispersing a xanthan gum in ethanol, and dispersing or dissolving the dispersion in a desired product such as water; or a process comprising strongly agitating a xanthan gum with an agitation or dissolving apparatus such as DISPER to dissolve without forming a lumpy mass. This is an industrially employable process, so that not only a certain level of skill is necessary, it is difficult to carry out in an environment such as households without such equipments.
In addition, there has also been published a technique of improving dissolubility, comprising forming a water-soluble polysaccharide into granules using an emulsifying agent as a binder solution (for example, Patent Publication 1). However, a lumpy mass is generated depending upon the supplying method, and the xanthan gum cannot necessarily be easily dissolved, so that there has been earnestly desired a composition that even more easily disperses or dissolves to quickly give a desired viscosity.
Patent Publication 1: Japanese Patent Gazette No. 3186737